Overclocking issues with the i7 7700k! Assistance needed!
Overclocking issues with the i7 7700k! Assistance needed!
I7 7700K
GTX 1080 ti
16GB ram
Asus Z170-E (with latest BIOS)
EVGA 600w 80+ PSU
Hyper 212 evo with 2 fans on it (Push/Pull)
For the last three days I haven’t succeeded in overclocking my CPU. I’ve reviewed various online guides and understand what steps to follow now. My main issue is achieving a stable CPU core voltage. I’m aware that excessive voltage increases heat generation, and the first YouTube tutorial suggested setting the core voltage to 1.35. During an Aida64 stress test, temperatures reached high levels (80-100°C) causing throttling. Further research revealed more options like LLC, AC/DC, adaptive over manual settings for core voltage, among others. I also noticed other users reported core voltages between 1.12 and 1.24 after OCing the 7700K.
After gathering more information, I tried again. But in adaptive mode, my CPU core voltage readings in CPUZ fluctuated between 1.344 and 1.36, even though I set it to 1.24 in UEFI manual mode. Previously, it was at 1.184 in UEFI, but in CPUZ it displayed 1.232-1.244. While adaptive mode was active with offset sign +, turbo at 1.184, offset set to auto (even though I adjusted it to 0), AC/DC at 0.01, and LLC at levels 4 and 5, I remained puzzled about the discrepancy between what I configured and what CPUZ reported.
I revisited UEFI and manually set the core voltage to 1.184. Then, when I switched back to manual mode and left everything unchanged, CPUZ still read 1.184. However, during a stress test, my PC encountered unexpected errors and restarted itself. I reverted everything to defaults in UEFI, but even then, CPUZ showed a reading of 1.344. Why is this happening? Should I stop overclocking the 7700K?
Any advice or support would be greatly appreciated.
It works well with AIDA 64 to boost my old i7-4770k to 4.3Ghz, though it hit around 100C. I haven’t found a solid 4.4Ghz stable setting before.
If you’re at 4.8Ghz and satisfied with temperatures and program stability, you’ve done it.
1.28 is safe for regular tasks. You might want to run an AVX benchmark to confirm stability outside AIDA64—later versions of Prime95 can help (usually people use 26.6 since it skips AVX testing).
1.184 is quite low, it's not surprising the system couldn't run AIDA64. That was a tough challenge for the default settings. With LLC, voltages are adjusted; if demand is high, voltage rises to avoid drops. Setting 1.184 and seeing 1.24 with LLC active is normal.
Eximo:
1.184 is quite low, not surprising the system couldn't run AIDA64. That was a tough test on default settings. LLC tends to distort voltages; if demand is high it raises voltage to avoid drops. Thus setting 1.184 and observing 1.24 with LLC active is normal.
You didn't specify a target speed, but 4.8Ghz usually needs about 1.3-1.35 volts for proper function. Beyond that, serious cooling is necessary to keep the i7-7700k running well.
For instance, I'm using 1.416 volts at 5.0Ghz with open loop water cooling and a delidded CPU—still reaching low 80s occasionally.
I can't definitively say what you did wrong except that you underestimated the core voltage requirement. If you plan to use AIDA64 for stress testing, expect high temperatures often. But passing those tests gives confidence the CPU will run fine under most conditions.
For gaming purposes, I prefer Cinebench as a quick estimate, then test actual games for stability.
It's just for gaming. I saw AIDA64 works well but most people favor prime95. I'll stick to Cinebench. And yes, my target was 4.8ghz.
Eximo:
The value of 1.184 seems quite low; it makes sense that the system struggled to run AIDA64. The LLC is adjusting voltages to avoid voltage drop under high demand, so setting it to 1.184 and observing a rise to 1.24 when LLC is active isn't surprising. You didn't specify a target speed, but 4.8Ghz typically needs around 1.3-1.35 volts for optimal performance. Beyond that, significant cooling becomes necessary to keep the i7-7700k functioning well.
For instance, I'm currently using 1.416 volts at 5.0Ghz with open loop water cooling and a delidded CPU, still managing to hit the low 80s occasionally.
I can't pinpoint exactly what you did wrong except for assuming an incorrect core voltage requirement. If you intend AIDA64 as your stress test, expect high temperatures often. However, passing those tests should ensure stable operation in most scenarios.
For gaming purposes, I usually rely on Cinebench for a quick estimate before diving into actual games for stability checks.
It works well with AIDA 64 to boost my old i7-4770k to 4.3Ghz, though it hit around 100C. I haven’t found a solid 4.4Ghz stable setting before.
If you’re at 4.8Ghz and satisfied with temperatures and program stability, you’ve done it.
1.28 is safe for regular tasks. You might want to run an AVX benchmark to confirm stability outside AIDA64—later versions of Prime95 can help (usually people use 26.6 since it skips AVX testing).